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With no pro playing options to his liking, ex-London Knight Brandon Prust joins the bench

Former Knight Brandon Prust was in the middle of the action as a coach at practice at Budweiser Gardens on Wednesday. He hasn’t officially retired as a pro player, but “it’s almost that time.” (MORRIS LAMONT, The London Free Press)

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You may not see him front-and-centre — on the bench, for example — any time soon at Budweiser Gardens.

But Brandon Prust will be an asset to the Knights, the major junior team he shed blood, sweat and tears for as a player. On Wednesday, he announced he has joined his old OHL club in a coaching capacity.

“Personally, it’s testing the waters in the coaching area and being able to stick to my roots back here in London and help the organization continue to be successful,” said the 33-year-old, an ex-NHLer with nearly 500 games of service and a member of the legendary 2005 Memorial Cup champion squad.

For the second straight fall, Prust started the season looking for an NHL job.

Last year, he had a tryout with the Maple Leafs. This time, it was the Los Angeles Kings.

When he didn’t catch on, he returned home and skated with the Knights, hoping for another playing opportunity.

Last year, he found a roster spot in Germany. This year, there weren’t a lot of options in Europe he considered worth his while.

“I decided to look at another chapter and stay in the hockey world,” he said. “This opportunity came up and I thought it would be pretty cool and it’s an organization I’ve been part of for a long time.

“We’re all very close (with the Hunter clan). I’m pretty grateful for them to allow me to help out. It’s quite an honour.”

Brandon Prust announced his new role with the London Knights on Instagram.

Grabbing a whistle for practice — like ex-Knights mate Dennis Wideman in Kitchener with the Rangers — effectively signals Prust’s retirement from pro hockey. That isn’t a thought he has completely embraced.

“Not 100 per cent yet, but the body’s getting a little older now,” he said. “It’s almost that time.

“I still talk to (ex-Knights captain) Danny (Syvret) a lot. I got a text from (former Knights goalie and current North Bay assistant) Adam Dennis the other day. We’re all going through the same thing right now.”

Dale Hunter, his new boss, always says the second-best thing to playing hockey is to coach it.

“It’s something I always thought about doing after I was done,” Prust said. “Going back to the coaches room (instead of the dressing room) and not sitting with all the boys is kind of weird.

“I’m getting used to it.”

He’s uncomfortable being labelled an assistant coach. But he’s on the ice at practice, sitting in video sessions, acting as a mentor and adding his voice to discussions.

“I guess you can call it skill (development) — whatever skills I have to offer,” he joked. “I knew a few of these guys (from) skating with them earlier in the year. These kids have better hands than I do, so I can’t really help out there.”

He’s joining at an interesting time in the Knights season. This is a team that has finally started treading water after a terrible start.

“You can learn a lot from him,” London veteran forward Cliff Pu said. “He understands what it’s about, what we’re going through, where we want to go and he can help us on and off the ice.”

Aside from his rugged play, Prust was known throughout the NHL for being a great teammate and providing character and energy to every dressing room he entered.

“Any time you have a Knights alum who has taken his path — a free agent before moving on to the NHL and having a career — there’s a lot of knowledge he can pass to our young guys,” London GM Rob Simpson said. “He’s doing skill development and listening in on our coaches meetings and giving input when he feels it’s appropriate.

“It’s great for us.”

Prust said he will still have lots of time for other pursuits, including his Prusty4Kids foundation. He also wed longtime love Maripier Morin — a television star in Quebec and a key figure in the Hockey Wives series — in July. She still lives in Montreal.

“There’s still some travelling to do and I have some Christmas vacation planned,” he said with a grin. “I’m not going to full-time (coach) quite yet. But just being around the dressing room and helping the kids, it’s awesome.